Particle beam systems are used to process and modify miniaturized objects by depositing material on the object or removing material from the object. A process gas including a precursor of a material to be deposited can be supplied to a processing location on the object, and the precursor can be activated by the particle beam such that the material is deposited at the processing location or a region surrounding the processing location. Alternatively, a suitable process gas can be supplied to the processing location on the object, and the process gas can activated by the particle beam such that the process gas forms compounds with the material of the object which are released from the object and can be removed subsequently.
An example of such system is known from US 2006/0284090 A1.